7.01.2009

New BlogHer Post: Identifying and Avoiding Autism Cults

New autism parents need to invest in critical thinking, and avoid hype-based organizations that foster autism fear & loathing. If you fall for an autism cult, you might never trust your own judgment again.

The best investment you can make in your autistic child's future is a commitment to intense scrutinization of treatment options. Does an approach make sense, or do you just really, really want to believe it will help? Are there real risks and only possible benefits? Do data and studies support it? If so, are they from independent sources or biased ones? New autism parents need to work past their fear and confusion, and embrace their critical reasoning skills. (If you need a skeptical thinking refresher, Michael Shermer's "Baloney Detection Kit" lists ten criteria for evaluating questionable claims.)